Saturday, February 25, 2012

Congratulations, President Obama and the No-Drill Democrats: Gas Prices Top $5 In L.A.!

Take a guess who the leftists and their idiot cousins in media will blame for skyrocketing gas prices: (a) "speculators", (b) "greedy oil companies", (c) "the rich", or (d) Bush. Not President Obama. Not his EPA. Not his Department of Interior. Not the brutal amount of taxes on each gallon of gas (about a dollar a gallon in total taxes versus two cents a gallon in profit for the "greedy oil companies").

Prices rise above $5 for a gallon of premium gas at a Shell station at Olympic Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue in Los Angeles, California...


Let's take a look at the price of gas and crude oil since Barack Obama took office in 2009.

Looks to me like Obama's done exactly what he said he'd do.

He's shut down drilling on public lands, slow-rolled permit approvals, continued his de facto (and illegal) drilling moratorium in the gulf, and wasted billions on crony "green energy programs".

I guess it's "for the children", though, so it's okay, right?


Hat tip: Drudge.

Excellent News: Pennsylvania Judge Uses Sharia Law to Dismiss Assault Charges Against Muslim Who Attacked Atheist

Well, this is certainly disturbing.

A district judge dismissed a harassment charge against a man accused of attacking a man dressed as "Zombie Muhammad" during a Halloween parade last year in Mechanicsburg.

Judge Mark Martin said there wasn't enough evidence to convict 46-year-old Talaag Elbayomy of the summary offense. It was basically one man's word against another's, the judge said.

Elbayomy was accused of attacking Ernest Perce V, of the Parading Atheists of Central PA, during the Oct. 11 parade. Perce claimed Elbayomy tried to take his "Muhammad of Islam" sign and choked him.

Martin received testimony from Elbayomy, Perce and Mechanicsburg Police Sgt. Brian Curtis who received the complaint from Perce. Curtis did not witness the alleged attack, Martin said.

A video of the incident was uploaded to YouTube and it's been viewed over 55,000 times. It clearly demonstrates that the attack was not "one man's word against another's".

Furthermore, as Eugene Volokh notes, a police officer reported that Elbayomy admitted that'd he'd grabbed Perce and attempted to steal his sign.

But the worrying thing is what the judge (Mark Martin) seems to have said at the trial, based on what appears to be a recording of the hearing: The judge — who stated that he (the judge) was himself a Muslim and found the speech to be offensive — spent a good deal of time berating the victim for what the judge saw as the victim’s offensive and blasphemous speech, which seems to raise a serious question about whether the judge’s acquittal of the defendant was actually partly caused by the judge’s disapproval of the victim.

Andrew McCarthy has posted the entire transcript of the judge's statement. Among the more egregious comments:

Well, having had the benefit of having spent over two-and-a-half years in a predominantly Muslim country, I think I know a little bit about the faith of Islam. In fact, I have a copy of the Koran here, and I would challenge you, sir, to show me where it says in the Koran that Mohammed arose and walked among the dead... [Ed: And what does that have to do with an assault?]

...Before you start mocking someone else’s religion you may want to find out a little bit more about it. That makes you look like a doofus... In their society, in fact, it could be punishable by death, and it frequently is, in their society...

...I think our forefathers intended that we use the First Amendment so that we can speak our mind, not to piss off other people and other cultures, which is what you did... what you have done is you’ve completely trashed their essence, their being. They find it very, very, very offensive... there is not, it is not proven to me beyond a reasonable doubt that this defendant is guilty of harassment. Therefore I am going to dismiss the charge.

Really. He said all of this tripe, and more.

McCarthy summarizes the decision with a powerful conclusion.

...a judge who is an adherent of current American government policy toward Islam — who, for example, sees no conflict between sharia and the federal Constitution, or who thinks fear of Muslim reactionary violence is a good reason to curb the First Amendment — should not have sat on this case, regardless of whether he happened to be a Muslim.

Call Judge Martin and voice your dissatisfaction with his blatant dismissal of the First Amendment. Be polite, but firm. Remind him that this is America, not some third-world hell-hole.


Hat tip: Brad M. at 720 The Rock

And now, a word on energy from President Obama

Afghanistan? Unemployment? Iran? Forget about that!

I'm focused on other things. Namely, free energy! Yes, I said it. Free energy!

Can't be distracted, what's with Afghanistan? What's with the economy?

Stop worrying about that, I got that s*** under control!

Focus on free energy, the United States of Free Energy, bitches. The United States of Free Energy, 'cause I ain't stoppin' at free energy.

Write this down. A. L. G. A. E. That's right! Algae, bitches!

Yeea, Yeaa!!!


Photos: Just how the heck did this happen? [Papa B]

Papa B:

Have you ever slapped your forehead and asked yourself...
"Just how the heck did this happen?"





Gotcha!


Recovery Shart of the Day. I mean Chart.

Are we really in a recovery? Even ignoring gas prices, the deteriorating situation in Europe, and the can-kicking going on here in the U.S., the raw data from the Bureau of Labor Propaganda Statistics refutes any notion that things are on the upswing.

Earlier today, ...a Democratic pollster [warned] about trying to use an “America is Back” slogan for Barack Obama’s re-election, commenter TopDog linked to a chart that explains very clearly why that strategy won’t work. Stanley Greenberg (PDF) wants Obama to argue instead for a less-specific declaration that America is now headed in the right direction, and that Obama has gotten job creation kick-started already:

In 2009, we were losing 750,000 jobs a month. Our biggest banks and auto companies were on the brink of pulling down the whole economy. But we righted the ship. We did not tip into a Great Depression. And over the last 22 months, businesses have created more than 3 million jobs, the most since 2005 and more manufacturing jobs than since the 1990s. We still have a long way to go but we have restored hope and possibility to the economy.

This chart from the Bureau of Labor Statistics utterly destroys that argument. The BLS measures the percentage of working-age adults currently employed in the population — and as can easily be seen, three years of Barack Obama has not made any dent in the trough created by the recession:

That is not recovery. It’s not even a start to a recovery. By cherry-picking 22 months, the best Greenberg can claim is job growth of 136,370 jobs per month, which would barely exceed the needed job growth per month to keep up with population growth.

Why cherry-picking? I explained the issue when Obama tried using this claim during his Google+ hangout at the beginning of the month:

But why 22 months? Obama began his term in January 2009, and the recession ended in June 2009. What’s so special about March 2010? Well, not so surprisingly, that’s almost the nadir of employment during Obama’s presidency, which actually took place in February 2010, two years ago this month. Even if he’d picked the right month, it would still only have been 2.654 million, not 3 million.

Calculating from the end of the recession, the net job creation from those 31 months is only 1.407 million, a wan 45,390 net jobs a month, far below the pace needed to keep up with population growth. Calculating for the entirety of his presidency, we’re actually in the hole 937,000 jobs. Obama tried to cherry-pick the worst month in order to claim the most credit he could possible for job growth, and managed to get both the month and the math wrong anyway.

Obama and his strategists can cherry-pick all they like. This chart tells the real story of Obamanomics and job creation during his term.

I had this discussion with a colleague at lunch the other day. He was worried that the headline unemployment number would give Americans comfort that Obama's strategies are working. I said the reality on the street would be obvious to Americans eveywhere. Are housing prices going up? Are foreclosures dropping rapidly? Are more jobs really available? Does this feel like a recovery?

No, no, no and no.

Americans understand what's happening, along with the urgency of flushing this administration -- and the entire Democrat Party -- from office in 2012.


Larwyn's Linx: Mark Levin’s no more gotchas interview with Rick Santorum

Have a news tip or great story? Drop me an email. Bloggers: you can install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget!

GOP Primary

Mark Levin’s no more gotchas interview with Rick Santorum: Scoop
Poll: Romney may now be leading in Michigan: Rasmussen
Obama Mocks GOP in Miami, More Class Warfare Served Up: Shark Tank

Nation

Today's Reckless Spenders Enslave Future Generations: IBD
Richard Lugar Calls TEA Party Voters Morons: RS
Obama meets with Dem governors; decide he should act more like dictator: WZ

Obama’s Rhetoric is Like Junk Food for the Mind: LoneCon
US Judge: Muslims have right to assault people who offend them: Hayward
Rick Perry blasts Obama, backs contraception lawsuit against HHS: Chron

Surprise: Per-person cost of ObamaCare high-risk pools doubles: Hot Air
Time for Obama to go: Marietta Times
White supremacist guilty in Arizona bombing: USA Today

Economy

The economic illiteracy of Timothy Geithner: Peth
Baltimore Has Decided Some Neighborhoods Just Aren’t Worth Saving: Insider
Stockton, CA takes steps toward bankruptcy: Mish

Obama can be blamed for 50 percent of the weak recovery: Peth
SEIU Organizing Tactics Include Intimidation and Lying to Workers, Company Alleges: BigGovt
Michelle Obama wears $2400 outfit, asks rich people to share their wealth: NakedDC

Scandal Central

Obama's Imaginary Solutions To Real Problems: Ace
FakeGate: Heartland Institute
Heartland Institute Releases Peter Gleick Emails Detailing Fraud, Identity Theft: Watts

Climate & Energy

A Rebuke to our Rudderless President: Power Line
Krauthammer Ridicules Obama’s Algae Energy Plan: HayRide
Pelosi 2008: Bush to blame for high gas prices. Pelosi 2012: Wall Street to blame for high gas prices.: JWF

Media

Report: Mainstream media ignores stories about Hollywood ties to Obama administration: Fox
Testimony: Georgetown Student Can't Afford Contraception-While Surrounded by Planned Parenthood Clinics: CNS
Pelosi 2008: Bush to Blame for High Gas Prices; Pelosi 2012: Wall Street to Blame for High Gas Prices: JWF

'Right Wing Lice' - Bigoted and hateful rhetoric from a New York Times columnist.: Taranto
Ameritopia Lays Out the Logic Behind Mark Levin’s Rants: Sago
Should Santorum's Talk About Satan's Influence In The World Hurt His Credibility?: Looking Spoon

Time Cover Features Latinos Who'll Decide Next Election, Includes Guy Who's Half-White, Half-Chinese: Ace
Obama Hires Academy Award Winning Filmmaker To Direct A Movie About . . . Barack Obama...: WZ
Lamestream Media Wears Egg on Their Face via the Huffington Post: C4P

World

Two Americans killed by Muslim in Afghanistan as Obama apologizes over Korans: Creeping
Odierno: Army could drop to 32 brigades: Army Times
Juncker: "Greece May Need A Third Bailout": ZH

Obama Gives Diplomat Job to Fundraiser, Disaster Ensues: BigPeace
Saddam’s Mustard Gas in Syria? Israel Warned Us – Iraq Warned Us: MagNote
Afghanistan: Death Toll From Koran Burning Temper Tantrum Hits 20: WZ

By restraining Israel, Obama is helping Iran get the bomb: Haaretz
Krauthammer: When Will Islamic Nations Apologize To Us For Persecuting And Killing Christians?: Mediaite
Verdict due in Berlusconi bribery trial: BBC

Sci-Tech

Scorned Attorney Threatens to Take Down Lawyer-Review Site: Wired
What Science Fiction Books Does A Futurist Read?: NPR
Flickr Is Fighting Copyright Theft On Pinterest: Insider

Cornucopia

Why wasn’t Obama slapped with contempt of court?: Diana West
Sheriff Joe Arpaio To Announce Results Of His Obama Birth Certificate "Investigation": AZ Progress
Famed Street Artist Who Created Obama "Hope" Poster Pleads Guilty To Federal Contempt Charge: TSG

Image: iOwnTheWorld
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Rick Santorum for President

QOTD: "That’s the kind of balance you need. Why is that the case? Because if you don’t try to generate more revenues through tax reform, if you don’t ask, you know, the most fortunate Americans to bear a slightly larger burden of the privilege of being an American, then you have to — the only way to achieve fiscal sustainability is through unacceptably deep cuts in benefits for middle class seniors, or unacceptably deep cuts in national security." --Tim Geithner

Friday, February 24, 2012

Top 10 Signs That the Obama Administration is Finally Embracing Transparency

10. Ubiquitous circular Obama logo replaced by artist's rendering of Nancy Pelosi's face without plastic surgery
9. John Boehner's phone no longer tapped
8. Live spy-cam catches Michelle slamming down sliders
7. Death Panel Bingo
6. Sign-up sheets posted for White House pickup basketball games
5. Unemployment statistics now distributed directly to media by David Axelrod
8. Parking validated for Republicans who visit White House
4. HBO documentary: "The Body Man and the Jacuzzi"
3. SEIU goons instructed to only taze Kenny Gladney, not break his legs
2. Gas Price Wheel of Fortune
1. ATF operation offers free Tek-9's to all DC-area crack dealers


Grass roots: Romney gives economic speech in front of 65,000 empty seats

But, Melvin, he's the only one who can win!

Mitt Romney's economic speech falls flat at near-empty stadium


Romney fails to elaborate on his 20% tax cut in awkward speech setting where he let slip another gaffe about his wealth

Republican frontrunner Mitt Romney's much-heralded economic speech flopped Friday, overshadowed by a gaffe over luxury Cadillacs and his choice of an over-ambitious venue, the Detroit Lions' football field.

Romney opened himself up to derision for choosing a 70,000-seat stadium which attracted just over 1,000 people, many of them school children bussed in to help fill out the crowd, tucked into a corner of the astro-turf pitch.

The small crowd underlined again his inability to draw large numbers of supporters and to excite the conservative base.

The speech too turned out to be a flop. Having been hyped by his campaign staff all week, Romney had little new to say... ...Political opponents quickly waded in. Obama's campaign adviser, David Axelrod, in a tweet, wrote: "Judging from pictures, looks like Mitt pinned himself in inside the 20."

After delivering his speech, Romney made a throwaway remark about cars that will be replayed when the speech itself will have been long forgotten.

In an attempt to ingratiate himself in the motor capital of America and undo some of the damage caused by a call in 2008 to let the car industry go bankrupt rather than be bailed out by the federal government, he listed cars owned by himself and his wife Ann.

He would be a president who loves cars, he said. "I like the fact that most of the cars I see are Detroit-made automobiles. I drive a Mustang and a Chevy pick-up truck. Ann drives a couple of Cadillacs, actually. And I used to have a Dodge truck, so I used to have all three covered."

Look, I think it's great Romney's rich. I love the fact that he's successful. But, hell, don't give the opposition easy soundbites!

Speaking of which, Rick Santorum was interviewed by Mark Levin tonight; the Right Scoop has the audio of the complete interview.

Have I mentioned that I support Rick Santorum for President?


Now that the Ron Paul-Mitt Romney alliance is out in the open, the new Ron Paul banner ads are here!

Ron Paul's campaign has admitted that it is directly supporting Mitt Romney. The Paul campaign is spending its contributors' money, for instance, by running anti-Santorum attack ads in Michigan even though Paul himself isn't actively campaigning in the state!

With that in mind, I would like to present the latest Ron Paul banner ads:




Word has it that Paul's faux campaign is all about getting his son Rand on the ticket as a V.P.

News flash: Mitt Romney has a long tradition of, eh, changing his mind, so I would take that kind of promise with a huge grain of salt.


Mark Levin Nukes Obama's Energy Lies [Transcript]

The living national treasure known as Mark Levin shredded President Obama's fundraising energy policy speech in Miami yesterday, delivering an epic smackdown.

This man has never given a speech, never given a presidential statement without lacing it with politics and his own ego...

"[Obama:] Only in politics do people root for bad news... you can bet that, since it's an election year, they're already dusting off their three-point plan for two dollar gas. And I'll save you the suspense. Step one is to drill and step two is to drill. And then step three is to keep drilling. We heard the same line in 2007 when I was running for president. We hear the same thing every year. We've heard the same thing for 30 years. Well, the American people aren't stupid. They know that's not a plan. "

Mr. President, you may not know this. You may not understand this, because you've never actually taken the time to understand how this works.

But, yes, you have to drill to get oil, to get natural gas. You have to drill. You see, Mr. President, when that fleet of cars drives up to the local gas stations... and they fuel those cars, at our expense of course, the fuel isn't actually in those pumps to begin with, Mr. President.

You have to drill to get that stuff.

That's right! You have to get drill to get gasoline for your car! So a policy that says 'drill', number one, 'drill' number two, and 'drill' number three, is actually the only way to get gasoline, isn't it? Is there some other way to get gasoline, other than drilling?

Is there some other way to get home heating oil, other than drilling?

...So the president, on the one side of his considerable mouth mocks the Republicans for trying to drill, and on the other side of his mouth, mocks drilling! So, ladies and gentlemen, if we don't drill, we don't get oil!

If we don't drill, we don't get gas! Somebody's got to drill!

And there was Hillary Rotten Clinton, her Thighness, yesterday all excited about a deal with the Mexican government to drill in the Gulf in areas that are said to be shared... I could've sworn I heard Hillary Clinton talk about drilling! And we give millions, if not billions, to the Brazilians to do what? To drill!

And what are they doing in the Middle East? These massive ships that the oil companies have to have, that bring fuel back. Where do they get that? Oh, they drill? Yes, they drill!

So he mocks drilling and doesn't realize he sounds like idiot!

No, here's where we're going to get it: from the sun! Really? Solar. And wind! Now he's been president for three years, had complete control of the government for two years, and what did we get from this wind and solar? We got crony capitalism; campaign bundlers who made a fortune and then broke the companies; companies that can't work and don't work because a top-down, government mastermind like Obama can't -- just because he has the law and our money behind him -- do whatever he wants to do, against the laws of nature and physics, until we are able to develop it over the course of time. Until it's profitable, until it makes sense.

We call that whole process, "capitalism."


Related: Deconstructing Barack Obama's Blatant Energy Lies

Larwyn's Linx: Done Compromising: Obama Unleashes His Inner Tyrant

Have a news tip or great story? Drop me an email. Bloggers: you can install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget!

Nation

Done Compromising: Obama Unleashes His Inner Tyrant: Ace
Obama: "My presidency is not over. I’ve got another five years": Beacon
I tried to open a lemonade stand: Stossel

The $4 Billion Obamacare Slush Fund for Progressives: Malkin
Totalitarianism and the State as God: XCV
Giving With One Hand and Taking With the Other: DLim

GOP Primary

Mitt Romney: Two Lies In One: Riehl
Santorum Plays Defense on Earmarks: WS
All 4 GOP Contenders Cheered: Obama’s the ‘Extremist’: CNS

Romney Endorsers Call Out Mitt On Two Different Issues: Riehl
Santorum Suspects Romney-Paul Alliance...: Ace
Paul praises Romney ‘management style’: Hill

Poll: PA perking up for Santorum; Within 5 of Newt in-GA?: Hot Air
What can't they understand about killing a baby born alive?: LI
Watch Ron Paul Slam Santorum and Protect Mitt Romney: Scoop

Economy

U.S. per capita debt worse than Greece: Beacon
Great Britain Raises Taxes on Rich, Tax Revenues Fall: AllAm
Don't Worry, It's Only a "Mild Recession": Mish

Chart: 'America’s Per Capita Government Debt Worse Than Greece': WS
UAW leads ’99% Spring’ campaign, records show: DC
As U.S. suffers, Obama mocks drilling for oil: GWP

Scandal Central

Second gun used in ICE agent murder linked to ATF undercover operation: Attkisson
Months After Federal Raid, Gibson Guitar Still Faces No Charges: Foundry
Tesla Motors: Solid as a brick: Treacher

Climate & Energy

$2.50 per Gallon Gasoline, Energy Independence and Jobs: Gingrich
Obama Vows to ‘Double Down’ on Green Investments Despite Solyndra and Volt Flop: CNS
The Problem With Electric Cars Part #786: Bricking: Hawkins

Media

And the Loser Is... the Media: BigJ
Fast and Furious Ignored At Arizona Debate, the State Where the Program Originated: BigJ
As Sean Stone Preaches Mullahs’ Tolerance, Christian Pastor Sentenced to Death in Iran: BigPeace

Bill Press: “Liberals are Still a Minority in the Press”: JWF
Hillary Clinton: Alinsky in Female Form: XCV
Why the GOP must seize control of the primary debates: DC

America the Changed: Sharpened Axe
2005 Video: Watch DNC Head Debbie Wasserman Schultz Attack Bush, GOP Over High Gas Prices: GLOB
Obama Has Already Lost, and He Doesn't Even Know It: AT

HBO’s Palin Pollution: Bozell
Wasserman Schultz’s Big ‘Ass’ Slip of The Tongue: Shark Tank
Bill Maher Gives $1 Million to Obama Super PAC: NB

World

DIA Director: China Preparing for Space Warfare: Beacon
Burned Koran Story Highlights Uncomfortable Realities of Rules of Engagement: BigPeace
Hugo’s Got The Sweet Heavy Crude for Syria’s Assad: Babalu

Muslim Admits to Attacking Atheist; Muslim Judge Dismisses Case: Oppo
Karzai Wants Americans Tried for Quran Incident; Will Obama Defend Troops?: BigPeace
Muslims Attack Swedish Artist Lars Vilks During Lecture on Free Speech: GWP

Sci-Tech

Google Agrees to Join ‘Do-No-Track’ Button Industry Agreement: BW
Like Pompeii, Ancient China Forest Buried by Volcano: ABC
11th Circuit: 5th Amendment Protects Against Being Forced to Decrypt Hard Drive Contents: Volokh

Re-think everything for mobile or you're toast: TechRepublic
Here's The Latest iOS Bug Everyone's Freaking Out About: Insider
Appeals Court Says Defendant Must Decrypt Laptop: Wired

Cornucopia

Michelle Returns From Aspen Ski Trip to Demonize The Rich At $300-$10,000 A Plate Fundraiser: Glob
Ringling Brothers Circus Sues Obama Administration: Diogenes
The New Norm? $220 Nike Foamposite One Basketball Shoe Causes Riot At Florida Mall: SHN

Image: Dale Toons via iOTW
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Rick Santorum for President

QOTD: "Tesla Motors' lineup of all-electric vehicles — its existing Roadster, almost certainly its impending Model S, and possibly its future Model X — apparently suffer from a severe limitation that can largely destroy the value of the vehicle. If the battery is ever totally discharged, the owner is left with what Tesla describes as a "brick": a completely immobile vehicle that cannot be started or even pushed down the street. The only known remedy is for the owner to pay Tesla approximately $40,000 to replace the entire battery. Unlike practically every other modern car problem, neither Tesla's warranty nor typical car insurance policies provide any protection from this major financial loss." --Michael DeGusta

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Is it Too Late For Israel to Save America? [Dan from NY]

Dan from NY:

I know, I know, this is self-serving Israeli hyperbole aimed at stampeding America into a war with Iran. But what if... it isn’t?

Israel: Iran will have U.S.-range missile in 2-3 years


Wed, Feb 22 2012

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel believes that within 2-3 years Iran will have intercontinental missiles able to hit the United States, an Israeli minister said in remarks aimed at raising awareness of the threat it believes a nuclear Iran would pose to the world. Analysts now estimate the longest range of an Iranian missile to be about 2,400 km (1,500 miles), capable of reaching Tehran's arch-enemy Israel as well as Europe.

...Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz's assessment, in an interview with CNBC, was in line with an unclassified U.S. Defense Department report in 2010 that estimated Iran may be able to build a U.S.-range missile by 2015. "They (the Iranians) are working now and investing a lot of billions of dollars in order to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles," said Steinitz, a former chairman of the Israeli parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee.

"And we estimate that in two to three years they will have the first intercontinental ballistic missiles that can reach the east coast of America. So their aim is to put a direct nuclear ballistic threat ... to Europe and to the United States of America," he said in English.

Israeli intelligence services keep a close eye on Iran, whose nuclear program Israelis see as a mortal threat, and are widely believed to have been behind a series of assassinations of Iranian nuclear scientists. Israel also has spy satellites.

Steinitz's remarks coincided with stepped up U.S. efforts to persuade Israeli leaders that there is still time for diplomacy to keep Tehran from building a nuclear weapon and growing concerns Israel might opt to strike Iran pre-emptively. Three weeks ago, Israeli Vice Prime Minister Moshe Yaalon said Iran had been working on developing a missile capable of striking the United States at a military base rocked by an explosion that killed 17 Iranian troops in November.

Yaalon, who is also minister of strategic affairs, said the base was a research and development facility where Iran was preparing to produce or develop a missile with a range of 10,000 km (6,000 miles).

In related news, it seems that the Obama administration has denied an entry visa to a member of the Israeli parliament over a supposed link to terrorist group.

[The] Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin ... sent an angry letter to U.S. ambassador Dan Shapiro, saying it was unacceptable for a Knesset member to be banned from the United States and urging him to reconsider...

Ben Ari said he found it strange that a country which has granted visas to both Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (who was involved for decades in PLO terror) should bar him "on the grounds that I'm a terrorist."

Unbelievable.


Some aircraft just get more beautiful with age [Papa B]

Papa B:

Check out what did a flyover at the Akron Air Show.



Fact Checking National Journal's "Fact Check": Yes, Obama Voted to Legalize Infanticide. Not Once, But Twice.

"National Journal" (if that is its real name) is a political analysis website that appears to get its content from the deepest crevices of the far left Beltway machine. Its latest hilarious missive is entitled "FACT CHECK: Gingrich Claim on Obama Infanticide Vote A Stretch":

Obama did not vote to legalize infanticide, and the media did not ignore the issue.

In answering a CNN debate question about birth control, Newt Gingrich lashed out at the media for giving President Obama a free pass during his 2008 bid.
“Not once did anybody in the elite media ask why Barack Obama voted in favor of legalizing infanticide,” Gingrich said.

Gingrich was presumably referencing Obama’s opposition to Illinois’ proposed version of a “born alive” law, intended to require doctors to administer immediate medical care to any infant that survived an intended abortion.

According to Politifact [Ed: Politifact, far from the unbiased arbiter it pretends to be, is a provably left-wing outfit] ... Obama voiced his opposition to the new legislation as a state senator because it would have given legal status to fetuses and would thus have been struck down by the courts, and because Illinois already had laws to ensure infants who survived abortions would be given medical attention.

This is, to put it in terms progressives can understand, horsecrap.

Physical evidence (the actual IL General Assembly vote tally [below]) shows that on March 13, 2003, Barack Obama voted for an amendment making the IL Born Alive Infants Protection Act identical to the federal Born Alive bill.

Obama then voted against the amended bill, making him more pro-abortion that any other U.S. senator, who all voted unanimously for Born Alive. It makes Obama more pro-abortion than [even] NARAL... which went neutral on the federal Bill.

Yet after the Saddleback Showdown on August 16, 2008, Obama stood by his lie when asked about it by CBN's David Brody, as shown on CNN.

David Freddoso at the National Review puts it in stark terms.

Sen. Obama is currently misleading people about what he voted against, specifically claiming that the bill he voted against in his committee lacked “neutrality” language on Roe v. Wade. The bill did contain this language. He even participated in the unanimous vote to put it in.

Want to see the actual differences between the federal and state laws? Non-existent other than the stylistic changes for Illinois wording. The identical neutrality clause as added by Obama is present.

On March 12-13, 2003, the Illinois state senate committee chaired by Senator Barack Obama amended the proposed state Born-Alive Infants Protection bill (SB 1082) to exactly track the language of the already-enacted federal BAIPA, by adopting Senate Amendment No. 1, 10-0.  The committee then voted to kill the amended bill, 6-4, with Obama and the other Democrats on the committee voting against it.  The bill that Obama and his colleges voted to kill, as amended, was virtually identical to the federal law.  The entirely non-substantive points at which the state bill language still differed from the federal law are shown in brackets below (except we have ignored differences in capitalizing).

 ---------------------------------------------------------Public Law 107–207 [Illinois SB 1082]
107th Congress
An Act
To protect [Illinois: concerning] infants who are
born alive.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of
the United States of America in Congress assembled,
[Illinois: Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:  Section 5.  The Statute on Statutes is amended by adding Section 1.36 as follows:]

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Born-Alive Infants Protection
Act of 2002’’.
[Illinois: no formal title]
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF BORN-ALIVE INFANT. [Illinois: Section 1.36.  Born-alive infant.]
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code,
is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘§ 8. ‘Person’, ‘human being’, ‘child’, and ‘individual’ as
including born-alive infant 
[Illinois: lacks this section heading]
‘‘(a) In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, [Illinois: statute] or
of any ruling [Illinois: rule], regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States [Illinois: this State], the words ‘person’, ‘human being’, ‘child’, and ‘individual’, shall include
[Illinois: include] every infant member of the species homo sapiens who is born alive at any stage of development.
‘‘(b) As used in this section, the term ‘born alive’, with respect to a member of the species homo sapiens, means the complete expulsion or extraction from his or her  [Illinois: its] mother of that member, at any stage of development, who after such
[Illinois: that]
expulsion or extraction breathes or has a beating heart, pulsation of the umbilical cord, or definite movement of voluntary muscles, regardless of whether the umbilical cord has been cut,
,   Illinois: no comma] and regardless of whether the expulsion or extraction occurs as a result of natural or induced labor, cesarean section, or induced abortion.
‘‘(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to affirm, deny,
expand, or contract any legal status or legal right applicable to any member of the species homo sapiens at any point prior to being ‘born alive’ [Illinois: no quotes] as defined in this section.’’.

(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections at the beginning
of chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is amended by
adding at the end the following new item:
‘‘8. ‘Person’, ‘human being’, ‘child’, and ‘individual’ as including born-alive infant.’’. 
[Illinois: Section 99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon becoming law.]
 

Obama's bald-faced fabrication is shocking. Perhaps that's the "Audacity of Hope": he hopes no one will call him on this audacious lie.

Barack Obama opposed the Born Alive Infant Protection Act in Illinois. The law was pushed after State Senator Patrick O'Malley heard the horrific story about an infant born alive after an abortion from Jill Stanek, a nurse... David Brody can play it as straight as he wants to play it. But, Barack Obama voted against the Born Alive Infant Protection Act. He said it was because the state statute lacked federal protections for abortion. Once the National Right to Life Committee proved that excuse a lie, Obama called NRLC liars until the campaign admitted that, regardless of the facts, abortion laws would have still been hindered by the Born Alive Infant Protection Act.

And during the 2008 debate over Obama's votes, the media was in full spin mode to protect their beloved candidate:

All the spin will make you dizzy... After the media ignored the Obama campaign admitting that he lied about a vote he made in 2003... now Obama is accusing others of “attacking” him with “outrageous lies”! ....Don’t count on the media to do any fact checking. If they were interested in doing that, the documents and facts are easily available. I can see why Obama thinks he can get away with this. The media ignored his lies once, they’ll most likely continue to eat them up. Meanwhile, Obama’s arrogance and audacity will continue to reach uncharted levels.

In summary: the National Journal's "FACT CHECK" (capitalized to make it extra believable!) is just as legitimate as Politifact. Which is to say, it's just a skosh to the left of Sean Penn.


Deconstructing Barack Obama's Blatant Energy Lies

Gas prices are poised to spike again this weekend, this time by as much as 20 cents a gallon.

And I didn't get to hear President Obama's fundraising energy speech in Miami today, but I do know this much. He deflected blame. He passed the buck. He blamed Bush. He lied. And he demonized Republicans for begging Democrats to unleash America's vast treasure trove of energy.

Obama's main message to struggling motorists was: It's not my fault, so stop whining. The speech only got worse from there, recycling excuses and myths that Obama's peddled for years. But there were some standout whoppers that deserve debunking...:

"We're focused on production."

Fact: While production is up under Obama, this has nothing to do with his policies, but is the result of permits and private industry efforts that began long before Obama occupied the White House... Obama has chosen almost always to limit production. He canceled leases on federal lands in Utah, suspended them in Montana, delayed them in Colorado and Utah, and canceled lease sales off the Virginia coast.

His administration also has been slow-walking permits in the Gulf of Mexico, approving far fewer while stretching out review times, according to the Greater New Orleans Gulf Permit Index. The Energy Dept. says Gulf oil output will be down 17% by the end of 2013, compared with the start of 2011. Swift Energy President Bruce Vincent is right to say Obama has "done nothing but restrict access and delay permitting."

"The U.S. consumes more than a fifth of the world's oil. But we only have 2% of the world's oil reserves."

Fact: Obama constantly refers to this statistic to buttress his claim that "we can't drill our way to lower gas prices." The argument goes that since the U.S. supply is limited, it won't ever make a difference to world prices... It's bogus. New exploration and drilling technologies have uncovered vast amounts of recoverable oil.

In fact, the U.S. has a mind-boggling 1.4 trillion barrels of oil, enough to "fuel the present needs in the U.S. for around 250 years,"...

"There are no short-term silver bullets when it comes to gas prices."

Fact: Obama could drive down oil prices right now simply by announcing a more aggressive effort to boost domestic supplies. When President Bush lifted a moratorium in 2008, oil prices immediately fell $9 a barrel.

As Doc Hastings, Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee, observed today, the "Obama administration spins U.S. oil product numbers, tak[ing] credit for predecessors' pro-energy policies."

The Obama Administration’s actions have caused domestic energy production to decrease... the White House does not explain that the vast majority of increased production is occurring on private lands, not public.

The slight increase in onshore production from federal lands is due to lease sales approved by previous Administrations—not the Obama Administration... ...The total onshore acreage leased under the Obama Administration in 2009 and 2010 are the lowest in over two decades, stretching back to at least 1984.

...the Obama Administration is attempting to take credit for actions they had nothing to do with. The strong production in the Gulf was due to leases issued in 1996-2000 under the Deepwater Royalty Relief Act – long before President Obama took office... The Obama Administration’s actions, such as imposing a de facto moratorium, are causing energy production to decline in the Gulf of Mexico. EIA shows a 300,000 barrel per day decline in current Gulf production and a projected Gulf decline of over 150 million barrels of oil in 2012.

Obama went on to tout his "green energy" programs, which have turned out to be a massive criminal operation redistribution of wealth from the private sector to Democrat campaign contributors:

In his speech, Obama proclaimed that Americans aren't stupid.

That much is for certain, which explains why they're so pissed off at his blatant energy lies.


Hat tip: Mark Levin

Larwyn's Linx: Mitt has no intention of cutting the size of government

Have a news tip or great story? Drop me an email. Bloggers: you can install a Larwyn's Linx blog widget!

GOP Primary

Mitt has no intention of cutting the size of government: Sundries
Mitt Ron Ad Money Attacking Conservatives: MagNote
Newt slams media for Obama's pro-infanticide views: Nice Deb

Romney Campaign Run by Charlie Crist’s Political Aides: Max
Was CNN Influencing Debate On Obama’s Behalf?: Riehl
Gingrich and The Rick Perry Factor: RS

The pivot that would help Rick Santorum: Greenroom
Obama vs. GOP Candidates: Tax Plan Comparison: ATR
Poll: Who won the debate tonight?: Scoop

Nation

Illegal Aliens Receive Jackpot Justice for Spitting on Our Laws: MB
53% Favor Repeal of Obamacare: Rasmussen
Zero Integrity on House Ethics Committee: CDN

Cultural Marxism and the Culture of Fear: ECV
The “Tolerant” Left Tweets About George W. Bush: CDN
Homeowner catches thief, then jailed for firing warning shot: DC

Economy

Why Obama’s corporate tax plan is a total bust: Peth
Secret Obama memo wanted the $800 billion stimulus to be—gasp!—$1.8 trillion: Peth
Unions Say They Plan To Spend $400 Million To Help Reelect Obama: WZ

At the Obama White House, the Party Never Stops: Dossier
Chicago Teachers Union Pawns Protest Rahm: BigG
Brown must curb big pension paydays for management: DailyNews

Scandal Central

White House misses Solyndra document deadline: Hayward
Second Gun In ICE Agent Murder Linked to ATF Gunwalking: Ace
Patterico as Carnac the Magnificent, Redux: Patterico

Climate & Energy

Tesla Motors’ Devastating Design Problem: Jalopnik
The Global Warming Cult and the Death of Science: Greenfield
Drawing the Line at Power Lines: NYT

Media

15 Questions The Mainstream Media Would Ask Barack Obama If He Were A Republican: P&F
`Game Change': Meet the Leftists Who Turned @HBO Into a Pro-Obama SuperPAC: BigH
Time: Catholic Bishops Should Go to Jail If They Want to Protest Obamacare Mandates: NB

When Positive and Negative Rights Collide: Knish
What is the goal in this election?: Ace
AP poll: Obama’s numbers rebounding, especially on the economy: Hot Air

Media Trash: JPA
Bloggers Beware – A Cautionary Tale: Zilla
Palin Aides Slam HBO’s ‘Game Change’ – Media Roundup: C4P

World

Harvard hosts a conference calling for an end to Israel. Keep those donations coming.: Baehr
US, Germany differ on Israeli ability to hit Iran: JPost
Citizens restrain Muslim shouting “Allah is great” on Portland to Houston flight (video): Creeping

Guess Who Decides What FBI Agents Get To Learn About Islam?: McCarthy
Iraq attacks on Shia and police targets kill 50: BBC
UN panel draws up list of Syria leaders to probe: AP

Cornucopia

Every Hall of Famer
“The Thrill is Gone” - Laissez les bons temps rouler!: MOTUS
Whitney had Valium, Xanax and alcohol drug cocktail: Post

Image: The Looking Spoon
Today's Larwyn's Linx sponsored by: Rick Santorum for President

QOTD: "One would think CNN, along with many media outlets, take their marching orders straight from the DNC, in terms of the issues they want raised. Certainly, with the debate in Arizona, a question on Fast and Furious would have been apropos. But it never came. That wouldn’t reflect well on the White House, so perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.

As the GOP prepares for political battle with Obama in 2012, it’s important to remember, it isn’t only his campaign they’ll have to defeat, they will have to best a liberal, Obama-supporting mainstream media, as well." --Dan Riehl

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Curiously juxtaposed headlines o' the day

Spotted at BadBlue.com:

Ann Coulter asks, "What's their problem with Romney?" The word their means, oh, about 95% of the Tea Party and Constitutional Conservatives in the U.S.

Jimmie Bise, Jr. at Sundries Shack more than adequately answers Ann's question with "Romney’s Plan: No Spending Cuts. No Tax Reform. No Bueno.."

Eh, case closed, bailiff.


GM: Only about 30 times worse than Solyndra

Say, how's that GM investment working out for taxpayers?

BailoutCost.com calculates to the second and to the penny how much we are in the hole on the Government Motors bailout.

Briefly: We own about 500 million GM shares. To break even, they need to be sold at $53 per. Right now they're trading at about $26.

Which loses us about $13 billion.

Remember, Solyndra lost us: $0.5 billion.

I'm not real good at math, but that seems like a lot more.

20-30 times more (again, depending on the share price whence we sell).

Besides abrogating bankruptcy law to hand the UAW an immense payoff, let's not forget the administration's skulduggery surrounding Dealergate and the hundreds of selective dealer closings that seemed curiously -- how you say in English? -- selective and partisan.

When the complete history of the Obama-Holder administration is finally written, I'm certain it will make Nixon and Mitchell look like the children who stole fizzy-lifting drinks from Willy Wonka's factory.


'Iran's Peaceful Annihilation Program' [Dan from NY]

Dan from NY:

Fars News Agency, Iran, 2/21/2012

Wife of Assassinated Scientist: Annihilation of Israel "Mostafa's Ultimate Goal"


TEHRAN (FNA)- The wife of Martyr Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan Behdast, who was assassinated by Mossad agents in Tehran in January, reiterated on Tuesday that her husband sought the annihilation of the Zionist regime wholeheartedly.

"Mostafa's ultimate goal was the annihilation of Israel," Fatemeh Bolouri Kashani told FNA on Tuesday

Bolouri Kashani also underlined that her spouse loved any resistance figure in his life who was willing to fight the Zionist regime and supported the rights of the oppressed Palestinian nation.

###

Hat tip: Elliott Abrams

How many times do the Mullahs have to pledge to eradicate Israel from the face of the Earth before Neville Obama and the rest of the Leftists take them seriously?

That's also a rhetorical question, drones.


Related: The Atomic Mahdi.

Not hypocritical in the least: Planned Parenthood says that prenatal ultrasounds are "invasive"

No, really.

Virginia’s recently passed “personhood” bill that requires some women seeking abortions to have a transvaginal ultrasound has received strong opposition for being “invasive” and has even been called “state-sanctioned rape”.

(Related: Joy Behar decries VA abortion law requiring ultrasound: ‘Is this the Taliban? Are we in Afghanistan?’)

...Many are taking issue with this proposed law because it requires women to have an ultrasound — of any kind — which may not be wanted by the patient. But opposition is focusing on the invasiveness of this specific type of ultrasound.

This just in: abortions are really, really, really invasive.

* * * * * * * * *

How malformed do your thought processes have to be in order to qualify as a liberal?

That's a rhetorical question, drones.


Image: The Looking Spoon.